The Epic of the Fallen Hero
by TravisT
Summary: The story of a hero fallen, the legend of one who would rise from the ruins of a kingdom which fell with him. The story of his trials, of his feats, and how he would defeat the Great Calamity. This, through time itself, is his story.
1. Chapter 1: A Hero Resurrected

Chapter 1: A Hero Resurrected

He stirred, by the light of heaven. He thought his life over, but he would see soon that it had only just begun anew. The light soon faded, as he found himself in a pool of water, which was draining away. The water was warm, comfortable, even. It wasn't like normal water, where if you put your foot in it it would be freezing cold, nor was it spring water, though it certainly had that warmth. This water seemed to rejuvenate his entire being, a substance that could bring restless spirits to absolute serenity. The bed in which he laid in was made of a strange stone. It was tough, yet sleek, and didn't seem to hurt his skin when he rubbed his hand against it. He rose his head, with only a faint memory of his past life. He remembered his name was Link, and that he once was a fighter. Sadly, that was all he knew, aside from how to walk, fight, breathe, and talk, though his throat was extremely dry from what he could assume as a lifetime of sleeping.

He got out of the peculiar bed, and saw nothing in the room, aside from a strange pedestal with ominous lights coming from it. He approached the pedestal, cautious as a rat intruding in on a cat's lair. But no other being seemed to exist, other than himself. With each blink he took, the truth of that became ever more clear to him.

When he got close to the pedestal, it seemed to activate at his mere presence. The center rose up, turned clockwise, then the strange device in the center spun, then rose, facing upright. He then heard a voice, the same female voice that had spoken to him before he awoke. "This is a Sheikah Slate. Take it. It will help guide you through your long slumber." The voice said. Her voice was as gentle as a summer breeze, and as calming as a note from a piano.

So he took the device, what he assumed to be the 'Sheikah Slate'. When he did, the pedestal lowered again, and a door opened. He went through the door, and found some old clothes lying on the ground, partially torn here and there, but still usable. And he knew, even without a memory, that the smallest amount of clothing made one's chances of surviving that much better. So he put on the clothes, finding that the fitting was not particularly right for him. The shirt showed a little of his belly and the sleeves were too short, and the pants legs were also too short. The boots fit him well enough, but weren't exactly cozy to wear.

He hoped that he would soon find a better change of shoes. And clothes, at that. Though he was grateful for what he had at the time. But he went on, finding another pedestal. This one had no slot, however, and had a strange pattern around an orange eye. "Place your Sheikah Slate onto the pedestal." The voice said. Link observed the pedestal, with extreme interest in the seemingly magical technology. But he complied, and placed the Slate on the eye, which illuminated to a bright tint of blue. Upon doing this, the wall shook and lifted, revealing fresh air and the bright sun light.

Link took it in, the absolute serenity of the sun's rays, and the refreshing intake of new air.

"Link… you are the light- our light- that must shine on Hyrule once again." Link looked for the voice, but no form was anywhere around him other than himself. "Now go." The voice seemed so innocent that Link saw no harm in following her. He climbed the stairs, and up the wall that blocked his way, and came to the outside world, the kingdom of Hyrule. The fresh air was renewing, like his life was just now beginning. He came to the ledge of the cliff, and saw the vast world, gorgeous and bright. It's beauty was unparalleled, and there looked to be nearly no human intervention with the world, aside from the giant castle in the midst of it all. And it would've been beautiful if not for the darkness swirling around it.

Link also knew that with this profound beauty, came a savage ugliness. He knew he'd have to defend himself in this kingdom, so he took the nearest weapon… which happened to be a branch. It wasn't much, but in defense for his life, he knew it'd serve him better than no weapon at all. He then saw an old man who was staring at him under a hood, while in his hands was a walking stick with a lantern hanging from it. He had a very large white beard that went into his clothing.

Link headed toward the man, but along the way, he found a Hylian Shroom, which reminded him how hungry he was. He observed the shroom, and decided to save it for later, perhaps make some delicious mushroom dish. It also came back to him that he loved to cook. Perhaps he was a part time chef in his past life. Either way, he knew that any food could be useful in a dish or two. He also saw some apples just down the path. He thought of it, and apples and mushrooms sounded like a fine breakfast for him. Though he'd prefer some meat with the meal, he was content with what he had. He picked three apples from the tree and went on down the path, finally coming to the old man.

"Oh hoh. It's rare for me to have some company. Hello there." The old man said with a warm hospitality. Link waved to him as hello. "Not much of a talker, eh?" Link said nothing. "It's fine. Though, from your appearance, I can tell you're a traveler. I should warn you to be careful around here, especially near the Temple of Time."

Link raised an eyebrow.

"Your expression tells me you do not know what I talk of. Well, look past me. Do you see the temple?" The old man asked. Link then saw what he meant. It was a large and old temple, very bleak in color. It looked more ancient than the very world he stood on. Link nodded to the old man. "Some say that temple is the very birthplace of Hyrule. Though, it stands now as a reminder of our kingdom's ruin."

Link looked back to the man. His expression asked everything.

"I'm sorry, but I'm not in the mood now to tell stories." The old man sighed. Link shrugged in understanding. "Anyway, If you're going to survive here, I'd suggest taking something a bit heavier than that stick. I have an axe just down the hill. Take it if you like. I certainly don't mind."

Link nodded, and waved goodbye as he went down. He then saw an axe in the stump, which he pulled out. It was a bit heavier than he'd have liked, but he knew that it'd serve useful in heavy attacks. Though it wouldn't do much more than the stick, it'd at least be more durable. He then saw a cooking pot just next to the stump. There was decent wood under it, but no fire to cook any food. He then went back up, and saw a torch. A decent way to transfer fire to it. He took the torch.

"What do you plan to do with that?" The old man asked. Link gestured to the cooking pot. "Ah, Yes. I forgot to light that fire. Using a cooking pot can make all kinds of dishes, and with a few other things, it can make some elixirs. I suggest for those, you put some bugs with some monster parts. I agree it sounds unappetizing, but it often works like a charm against climates, or even in battle. You know what they say, don't knock it until you try it." The old man laughed a bit. Link quite enjoyed his company. Not only was he helpful in advice, but he had a story or two to tell.

Link took out the torch and lit it with the fire from the old man's campfire. He carried the fire carefully to the other fireplace, and lit the pot. It was now ready to cook. He put a mushroom with an apple, and watched the magic happen. After letting it fry, he took a stray stick, cleaned it off, and stuck it through the mushroom after chopping it up a bit. He now had a fresh mushroom skewer, with a bit of apple taste in there for experiment. He took a small bite, and it filled his whole soul with bliss. It was just a bite, but it felt like his entire body could be restored with just a simple taste of it. He took a few more bites before storing the rest for later.

After wiping his mouth with a leaf, he went on, looking to his right to see a rusty sword in a stone in the middle of a lake. His eyebrows rose as he saw it. A sword would be useful in combat, but a rusty one might not hold up as well as a regular sword. But he wasn't going to lick a gifted horse in the mouth, and leaped in the water for the sword. His muscles were still weak from sleeping, so his swimming was off to a slow start. But he was confident in his abilities, and his confidence was now misplaced, as he made it to the small patch of land. He climbed up, and pulled the sword from the stone.

Now all he had to worry about with the sword was it breaking and it giving him tetanus. But he didn't think on it too much, and swam back to the other side of the lake. Though, it wasn't a very impressive lake, if only a pond at that. But he saw while swimming that fish lived in there. If he were to acquire a bow, he agreed that he would return to this pond to do some old fashioned fishing. He then saw a circle of lily pads under an overhang, and saw it was perfect to jump directly in the center. But for another time, he thought to himself.

Then the voice returned. "Head for the glowing point marked by your map. It will guide you to where you must go." The voice said. Link took a glance, and it seemed to be just past the ruins of the Temple of Time. And from what the old man said, there would be a few enemies along the way. But if Link knew anything- or rather remembered anything, it was that risk often came with reward. So he set off to the ruins, with the branch in hand. He wanted to at least get some use out of it, so he started by attacking his first opponent. It's skin was red-orange, with a face like a pig, but a body like a human, though it had some similarities in both aspects. Strangely, the arms were longer than the legs, and the head was twice as big as the whole body.

Link had to wonder how it kept its head up. Though he'd help put its head down with a quick slam to its bald head. And in that instant the branch already seemed to be ready to give in. The creature- known to the inhabitants of Hyrule as Bokoblins, and a common enemy at that- charged back at Link, but as it swung, Link ducked under and gave it an uppercut with the branch. Then with the last bit of its durability, he stabbed the stick into the creature's temple, which killed it instantly. Link took the Boko club it had- a definite upgrade from the stick- and took a horn and tooth from the creature. He irked at the sight, let alone the touch, but if what the old man said was true, then the trouble would be worthwhile. Hopefully.

With his new and improved weapon in hand, he approached his next fight, where he sealed a simple whack to the skull, and did it in. He took the club it had and it's parts, and then realized it was guarding a chest made of stone. He opened it, and was very pleased to see a change of clothes. A pair of beige pants that was very soft to touch, along with brown leather boots, much more comfortable than his current shoes. He changed into the new clothes, and was instantly thankful for the find. He sighed at the comfort of the clothing, and he had no doubt that it would do him more protection than the old pants, just by wearing them.

After that, he went forward, coming to a small camp of Bokoblins. And small is not over exaggerating, as there were only two. But Link saw explosive barrels at the camp, and looked for a way to ignite them. He then saw a boulder perched just over one, and he smirked at the almost perfect set up. He snuck over, and used all his might to push the boulder, which tumbled and fell into the barrel, which exploded on impact, creating a chain reaction the blew up the two Bokoblins.

He jumped down and claimed the spoils. Though the weapons were destroyed in the blast, the steak they were cooking was still intact, and still finely cooked at that. He took the steak and saved it for later, when he would need it. He also took the time to observe his surroundings. It seemed that the whole area was wide open, which made sneaking much more difficult. He was hoping he'd be able to find some better forms of defense, like a shield.

He climbed up the small cliff and observed further. He looked to the Sheikah Slate, and the objective seemed to be just past two archer Bokoblins. He knew, unfortunately, that he'd have to charge through their line of fire. So he did. He had no weapon in hand as he charged them. They saw him when he was halfway to them, and they notched their arrow when he was already close to them. When they fired, he was already to them. He took his Boko club, and stuck it through the bow of the first one so it couldn't fire. He spun it around and took it for himself, then proceeding to whack the Bokoblin down the hill. Link then quickly picked up and arrow and notched it with lightning reflexes, and fired the arrow into the eye of the second Bokoblin. It screeched in agony as Link used his Boko club to ram the arrow deeper into its brain, smashing its skull in the process.

The first Bokoblin then picked up another bow and fired at Link, but he saw this coming, and used the second Bokoblin's body as a meat shield, taking the arrow for Link. He then took an arrow from the Bokoblin's body and fired it at the first Bokoblin, thus ending the battle. He collected the spoils of war, which included a bunch of arrows, two Bokoblin horns and three Bokoblin teeth, along with another Boko bow. After he scavenged his loot, he found one last Bokoblin between him and his objective.

This one was much more equipped than the previous enemies, however. It had a short sword and a Boko shield, which was simply a piece of bark with a stick put in it. Nonetheless, this was still a greater challenge than the previous Bokoblins. So Link readied himself. He notched an arrow, still out of sight, and pulled back as he came out of hiding. The Bokoblin had little time to react as Link let the arrow loose, which flew into the foe's horn. It stumbled a bit, allowing Link to charge in with the Boko club and swipe it off its feet with his leg, then bringing a devastating blow to the back of the head. As the club broke, he took the sword and plunged it into the Bokoblin's back, for double tap. He then took the shield, thankful to the gods for the quick supplies. He now had all the essentials of surviving.

He advanced into the cave, where he found another pedestal, this one being like the one where he found the Sheikah Slate. There also was a stalagmite hanging over the pedestal with the same symbol that was on the back of the Slate. He put the end of the Sheikah Slate on the pedestal, which took it, and secured it inside, the screen flashing orange, along with wiring that just appeared on the pedestal.

A mechanical voice then sounded. "Sheikah Slate authenticated. Sheikah Tower activated. Please watch for falling rocks."

The earth then shook violently. It wasn't just limited to Link, nor was it to the area where he stood. It happened all over Hyrule. Rocks fell, birds took off in fear, and everyone watched in suspense as towers sprouted from the ground, taking form as towering, impressive, and awe-inspiring spires. They arose, all over Hyrule, as markers of the kingdom, from the highlands of Gerudo Desert, to the grasslands of Akkala, these towers rose up from nowhere. Their purpose, though unknown now, would become crystal clear for only a few.

Soon, however, the ground came to a halt, as did the towers, which now stood higher than Hyrule Castle, but pale in comparison to the height of Death Mountain.

Link soon recovered from the earthquake, and rose to his feet to see the stalagmite above let loose a single drop of peculiar water onto the Slate, which seemed to absorb the droplet. Link slowly rose to his feet and saw the map, which before was nothing more than a series of meaningless lines, now had an accurate map of the area which he stood on, which was named the Great Plateau.

The pedestal ejected the Sheikah Slate, letting Link take it again. His gaze was now drawn to the castle. "Link. Try to remember." The voice echoed through his mind. He stepped toward the castle. "You've been asleep for 100 years-" her voice was cut off as a tremor occurred. Now from the Sheikah Towers this time, but it originated from the castle. "The beast. It stirs again." Now from the castle rose an abomination of unimaginable horror. It roared into the sky, black and purple like the darkest of nights. But a light from the very center of the castle quelled the beast, which dissipated in the air. "Now then, there is much to do before you can defeat this beast. Start by heading down."

Link took a few more seconds to look over the vast valley of Hyrule, taking in the beauty of it, and also looking for any spots to proceed to. But from where he was, there weren't many places of specific value to him. At least, of no value for the time being. He found a gap in the platform which led downward. Under it was another, smaller platform. It seemed to continue from there like a spiral staircase, just low enough to where Link had no problem landing. Once he reached the ground, he heard a loud "Ho!" sound above him. When he looked up, he saw the old man from before flying down and landing next to him.

"Well now, this is quite the development." The old man laughed heartily.

Link looked to the Sheikah Tower, then back to the old man.

"And I assume that tower isn't the only one that's come from beneath the earth. In fact, I saw them sprout up all across Hyrule, from the fair people of the Rito to the wise Zora. These towers are now common sights among Hyrule." The old man hummed. He then looked to Link directly. "By the way… did anything… oh, I don't know, peculiar happen while you were up there?" Link nodded. He gestured to his ear. "A voice, am I right?" Link nodded. "And… did you happen to recognize the voice?"

Link shook his head in response. The old man sighed in what seemed to be disappointment.

"That is a pity. Still, I'm sure you'll recognize the voice sooner or later." The old man said with certainty. "But I am sure you saw the atrocity enshrouding the castle." Link nodded. "That, my friend, is a Calamity Ganon. One century ago, that vile entity brought about ruin to the entire kingdom of Hyrule. If it were not for our very symbol, we would surely not be standing here today." Link raised an eyebrow at him. "Yes, Hyrule Castle, the symbol of our kingdom, has managed to contain the beast. But just barely." Link nodded in understanding, though many things still confused him about the whole situation.

While Link was in his thoughts, the old man looked at him, observing him with almost a glare. "You intend to make your way to the castle, do you not?" He asked Link. He looked to the old man, and nodded boldly. "I had a sneaking suspicion you'd say that. But first, there's something I must address. You see, we are surrounded on the plateau by sheer cliffs. If you were to jump from such a height- Well, no death could be more certain." The old man took a moment to breathe. "Or foolish, at that."

Link made an uneasy face, rubbing his neck.

"I sense your fear. You believe to be trapped. But… if you were to have a paraglide like mine, that'd be a different story." The old man said. Link looked back with interest gleaming in his eyes. "Oh hoh! Piqued your interest, have I? Worry not, I will happily agree to give you my paraglider. But not for nothing." The old man said, tapping his walking stick. "Let's see… how about I trade it for a bit of treasure that slumbers nearby?" Link raised an eyebrow again, and nodded in attention. "Follow me."

The old man then led Link to a cliffside, where it overlooked a lake, and on the other side, next to a camp, was a strange structure. It glowed orange like The Sheikah Towers and Link's Sheikah Slate. He assumed this to be yet another relic of… whatever the Sheikah was, going off the fact that everything with that glow had the name Sheikah in it.

"Do you see that structure? That is where the treasure is. Find it, and my paraglider shall be yours." The old man said. Link nodded in understanding, and went off to the structure, which he would soon learn to call a Shrine. He swam through the lake, careful not to attract any unwanted attention, mainly from the Bokoblins from the camp. He knew he was strong, but he knew that facing too many of them at once could prove to be a deadly mistake.

Regardless of this, he made it to the Shrine, and pressed the Sheikah Slate on the pedestal on the side of it. It then activated, the door folding out of the way to show the very small space inside. He observed, and stood on the center of the room. Then a blue ray surrounded him, as the platform under his feet began to lower, and he was taken deep into the earth, where his first trial would begin.

A/N

So basically, if you haven't caught on yet, this is my take on the literary form of Breath of the Wild. But before I continue any further, as per usual, necessary disclaimers. I do NOT own Breath of the Wild, nor do I own the rights to the Zelda franchise. The entire Zelda franchise is owned by Nintendo, and Breath of the Wild is their game, released on March of 2017(I think it was March). But with that out of the way, I should discuss the elephant in the room.

I will be making the story's mechanics slightly different from the game's. This mainly applies to the combat system, along with a few other things that would be spoilers to the story. Oh, and I should also mention that there WILL be spoilers in this story, so if you have not played BotW and wish to play it, do not resume with this story! But as expected, I will not be doing a full story of Breath of the Wild, since, as you know, it is WAY too big of a game. And I want this to end some time, so I will intentionally cut some things out of the story, if I find it necessary. But I think that's everything I wanted to address, so please leave a review of what you thought of the story so far, and all that jazz.


	2. Chapter 2: Strength in Spirit

Chapter 2

Strength in Spirit

The elevator continued to go down, until he came to a strange room. Above was a series of strange, mechanical blue lights, which seemed to consume no fire. The ground was made of the same strange stone that made up the room Link awoke in. Though, the difference was that it seemed much less tapped.

But to the left was another pedestal, similar to the one on top of the Sheikah Tower. He went up to it, and placed his Sheikah Slate into the pedestal, which then bestowed yet another droplet onto the screen. But this time, the results were different.

Instead of it bringing a piece of a map, it brought him a rune. The symbol of it resembled a U, and it was titled Magnesis. The Slate was ejected, and Link turned to Slate in confusion. He tried to press the screen, and it activated, glowing bright blue. When he moved, it seemed to react, even more so when he approached the metal floor. He thrusted the Slate at the floor, and the Slate generated a long stream, which connected to the metal. When he lifted the Slate up, the metal rose with it.

It now dawned on him that the Slate had magnetic properties, able to move anything metal from a distance. Link could think of countless uses for this ability. He wanted to test its limits instantly. He put the metal on the other side of the room, and he walked completely opposite of it. He tested, but it didn't reach it, confirming his thoughts. It has a certain range at which it can pick up metallic items.

Regardless, he went into the hole where the metal floor was. He walked through, and found a wall blocking his path, with a metal box inside of it. Link knew instantly what he needed to do, as he activated Magnesis and pulled the box out, and rammed it into the door, which fell apart. Past it was a small, strange robot which had wiring like the other Sheikah relics. But the mere sight of it made Link's heart pound, and he didn't know why. But he instinctively hid behind the wrecked wall as he realized what he could do.

He used Magnesis on the metal box again, and carefully positioned it over the robot. When he dropped it, the metal box crushed the robot, and it was destroyed instantly. Strangely, he found himself incredibly relieved. But he found that the robot had dropped some odd pieces, a spring of sorts and a screw. They were odd pieces of loot, to be sure, but he knew that ancient technology might be useful to keep around. But when he got to the platform, he found himself stopped by an impossible jump. He looked back, and found that the bridge he used to get over the water was also metal.

He formed a plan, and picked up the metal bridge using Magnesis, and carried it over to the other side, forming a secure path forward. It was as he thought, the Magnesis rune had countless uses. He pressed forward, and opened the metal door in front of him. Past it was a strange cube, with a badly decayed body inside, which seemed to be meditating. It had the symbol of the Sheikah on its hat.

When Link went up to the strange cube, a symbol of the Sheikah appeared in the blue screen. He cautiously tapped it, and it rippled like water, and then burst open harmlessly. The matter seemed to simply phase through Link. Then mysteriously, a voice echoed through the shrine.

"You carry promise of the hero of legend. Your resourcefulness proves that promise. In the name of the Goddess Hylia, I bestow upon you a spirit orb." The voice said. Then from the body came an orb, with a symbol inside the orb, which looked like a bird with wings extended, and head reaching for another symbol of three triangles, one stacked on the tips of the other two. The orb went into Link's body, and vanished into his very soul. "Go, and bring peace to Hyrule." The voice echoed, as the body vanished from existence, dissipating into a series of green sparkles.

And the Shrine was silent.

When Link returned to the surface, he was greeted by the old man once again.

"I see you have obtained the spirit orb within the Shrine. Well done, Link." The old man said. Link asked how he knew about the Spirit orb. "Clairvoyance! Oh hoh, or something like that. As you get older, it becomes harder to see what's right in front of you. But those that are hidden are often crystal clear." Link raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Oh hoh, or maybe it's just me then. Now then, time for you to obtain the other spirit orbs."

Link sighed in annoyance.

"I said treasure, but I never said there would be more than one!" The old man said. "You can locate the other shrines from atop the tower."

Link looked to the tower, then raised his arm toward the top of the tower, and widened his eyes in disbelief.

"Oh hoh! I see what you're hinting at, and I have a technique for you. Have a look at your map."

Link nodded and opened his map. "Do you see the blue glowing marks? You can travel to them with this. Simply select the one you want to go to, and you'll be taken there. Try traveling to the tower."

Link nodded and pressed the icon that resembled the tower. His body then was unformed, but once he returned, he was on top of the tower. Link looked around, and sure enough, he was there. He looked around, and saw two of the shrines immediately, one surrounded by walls, and another atop a cliffside. And later, he found the last one, which was on the other side of the plateau on a snowy mountain.

"Did you know you can mark those shrines' locations?" The old man said, surprising Link. "Apologies for startling you." Link waved it off. "There's a camera on the back of that Slate. You can use it to mark those shrines, which should make it easier."

Link eventually found the feature he mentioned, and viewed the area from it. He tapped the screen, and it marked the shrine in the ruins, then marking the one on the cliffside, then the one in the snowy region. Then Link was left to his thoughts.

How would he make it to the snowy shrine? It was half a mile away with freezing cold temperatures in a fourth of that half mile. He knew he wasn't hardened enough to withstand the cold for too long before giving in to hypothermia, and he knew the clothes he had wouldn't protect him much against the cold.

He left it to be thought about later as he made his way back down the tower. He would go for the Shrine in the ruins first, he thought to himself. After that, who knows, he might find some warmth to keep him going in the snowy area.

The path to the ruins was more or less unguarded, unpopulated at that. Not even a squirrel stirred. There were strange machines, ruined ones, that littered the ruins, much like the one back at the shrine, but far bigger. Those ones were much more intimidating to Link than the little one. He climbed over though, and found rubble blocking the path to the shrine. He'd have to scale the wall. But as he approached, one of the machines stirred. But it was different. Instead of the orange tint the other Sheikah relics had, this one glowed dark purple. And just like the little machine, it targeted Link. But the red laser it used to target Link…

He froze up, unable to move. He urged his body to move, but it wouldn't. The laser charged.

At the last second, he jumped out of the way, and a bright blue laser flew past Link, just barely missing his toes as it exploded behind him. He breathed heavily, as his vision took on pictures of those same machines, but instead, they walked, and weren't covered in moss. And they were quick, faster than any man could ever hope to be. He pressed his back to the wall as the vision faded.

Never had any enemy frightened him more than that thing. The Bokoblins were cannon fodder, Moblins were stronger, but slower, and easy to dodge. Lizalfos were more annoying to deal with, able to deal great damage both close and long range. The Hinox were fat and slow, easy to maneuver around. Then there were Lynels, which were a challenge beyond anything. They breathe fire and can dish out heavy attacks swiftly, and are able to block most attacks if they can. And most are fair archers, which makes them more deadly.

But these machines, they were more terrifying than all of those monsters. Their sheer armor, combined with the power that they wield, it was unparalleled. And for whatever reason, Link felt the irrational necessity to run far away from the machines. But why?

Regardless, Link tried to come up with a plan. He knew the Shrine was just past the rocks, as well as past the machine. Then he realized that the lasers that the machine fired exploded. All he had to do was go in front of the rock wall and wait for the machine to fire before diving out of the way. He knew the risk of failure was extremely high, but then he realized he could just climb over the wall.

He waited for the machine to face the other way before making a dash for the next wall. Then waited again to go to the next cover. Now he was facing the wall that divided him and the Shrine. He carefully climbed up, cautious not to make too much noise. Finally, he made it to the second Shrine. He did the same process, and went inside.

Now in front of him stood a wall of cracked rocks, along with another rune pedestal. He went over to it, and it distilled yet another rune. Yet this one was different, as it gave him two of the same rune. It was titled 'Bomb Rune', but both had different shapes. The Slate was ejected, and Link switched the rune to the Bomb rune. He placed a spherical bomb next to the stone wall. The Slate now showed a bright red button on the screen.

And common logic told Link to press said button, so he did. The bomb detonated, completely destroying the stone wall and opening a new path. It split to two directions, both ending in similar walls. Link tried the wall to the right, which led to a chest, the first of his travels. He opened it to find a thin, yet long blade, heavy enough to be a claymore. Link happily accepted the addition to his arsenal as he went to detonate the second wall.

Beyond the second wall was a new room, which cut off yet another room with another cracked stone wall. But when he tried to throw a bomb at the wall, it fell into a pit, and the blast radius was too small to reach it from down there. Then he took notice of the moving platform in the middle. He placed a cube bomb on the platform and waited for it to go over to the wall, which he then detonated. The wall crumbled like tin foil under weight.

The final room was filled with pistons, two of them seeming to juggle an odd orb around in the sky. Then Link took the hint and put a spherical Bomb on the closer piston, which launched it at a series of cracked rocks, which detonated and smashed the wall to bits. The path behind it led to the shrine's monk. He dropped down, climbed the ladder, and came to the monk, who bestowed upon Link yet another spirit orb.

When he returned to the surface, it was night. And from the ground came Bokoblins made entirely of bone. Link unsheathed his shortsword and sliced the first one in half, but it still lived, it's soul resonating from the skull rather than the chest. So he took his sword and stabbed it through the skull, which vanished in a puff of black and purple smoke. But more came, and Link decided to run, but he completely forgot about the machines waiting outside. A red laser target him as he ran as fast as he could, the blast just barely missing him. He rested behind a wall to catch his breath as he made a dash for the exit of the ruins, and thus ended his first encounter with the machines of death.

After running for a bit longer, he allowed himself a rest, letting him catch his breath. He looked back at the ruins, thankful that that mechanical nightmare couldn't walk. And yet, it still made his heart race simply by thinking about it.

But why? Why did he feel such terror when he caught a glance of it? Why did he feel the need to run away from it at all costs?

What happened before he was out in that bed? What caused him to have no recollection of his past?

He hoped, more than anything, that he would get those answers soon.

After finishing his thoughts, he took the time to realize where he was. It was a forest- not very dense to be sure, trees here and there, otherwise it would've been a small field. A small field with a small cottage in the middle of it. And from the cottage came a plume of smoke, seemingly from a small campfire.

And fire meant life. And a cottage wouldn't be too bad of shelter. Link decided that it would probably be in his best interest to at least check the cottage. So he did, making sure not to attract any attention of any monsters on the way. When he got to the cottage, he found the old man from before sleeping on the bed.

Must've been his house, Link thought. And as it turns out, the smoke was coming from a cooking pot. Link beamed with the sudden chance to make some decent food. He took two apples, and a Stamela Shroom and a Hylian Shroom to make a new Mushroom Skewer, with a bit of Apple in it as well for flavor. And with the effect of the Stamela Shroom, he would gain some extra stamina, which would be useful to him while climbing.

After finishing the skewer, he rested at the fire, giving his legs a break, and also allowing him to relax by the heat of the fire.

A/N

Sorry for the extremely late update. I was trying to focus on other stories, so trying to do this was a bit difficult. As well, I was doing a bit of… let's call it research on the characters to make sure I stay in character through the story. And for the sake of getting through this story without making over 100 chapters, I won't be doing every shrine in the game. Nor will I be going over every single detail of the world of Breath of the Wild, as I explained last chapter. Anyway, leave a review or PM, and all that other jazz.


	3. Chapter 3: Capturing the Wind

Chapter 3

Capturing the Wind

Link approached the gates of the snow covered mountains, a cold breeze passing through him as the sun shone on his back. The solar rays made his back sweaty, but he knew that those rays would help him stay warm in the frigid climate, especially with the food he prepared for the journey. He ate up his dish, which was a plate of finely cooked apples with bell peppers chopped up and served with the delectable treat. Eating it made his innards flare, but he knew this would help him withstand the cold.

He journeyed up the first mountain, to eventually come to a small camp of three red Bokoblins. He wasted no time in killing the savages, where he then took their weapons and arrows, fine spoils to the hero. As he continued up the mountain, he climbed up a wall of stone to find the shrine on the opposite side of the snowy mountains, which made his job a slight bit harder. But he continued nonetheless, pressing through any opposition that came his way. The only real challenge he faced was a blue Bokoblin.

But he swiftly defeated the formidable foe, and took his spoils, which included a better Boko club and shield. He gladly accepted the upgrade to his arsenal. It took no time for him to reach the mountain of the shrine, but he found that it was well defended. Giant snowballs rolled at him. He acted quickly and activated Stasis on one of them, proceeding to roll out of the way of the other. Once Link had gotten past the frozen one, he released it again.

At the top was his final challenge before the shrine. It only held two red Bokoblins and one blue Bokoblin- never a challenge for the knight as he sliced through them with hardly an effort.

He was certain now- he HAD to have been a knight before he was put into that hundred year slumber. But he still didn't know why he was put in there. Was he injured in battle? Or did they simply know he'd be of better use in the future? Whoever 'they' were, he'd find the answer.

Then came the shrine. At long last, the final shrine! But Link had to wonder what the old man wanted from the spirit orbs. And if he would hold up his end of the bargain.

He shook it off. Now was not the time for mistrust. He entered the shrine, where he would earn his final rune, Cryonis.

He walked out victorious, the final shrine of the Great Plateau now conquered. And from above, the old man came gliding down. He laughed with a combination of enthusiasm and relief. "So you've finally finished the last of the shrines. Then it is time." The old man said, Link cocking his head to the side. "Time I told you everything. But first…" he then pointed to the Slate. "Look at your map. Imagine the shrines making a large X. Go to where the lines of the X cross."

Link nodded and looked at the Slate. To what it seemed, the shrines made an X over the Temple of Time.

He looked back up, and the old man was gone. Link stood confused for a little, until the fire in his belly died, and he was hit with a sudden chill. He realized that this place was no longer a viable place to think to himself. He teleported to the Magnesis shrine, and made his way to the Temple of Time.

Once he made it, the Goddess statue at the end was glowing with a heavenly light. He came to the statue, and he heard a voice. "To you who has completed the shrines… I am the Goddess, Hylia. I can do great things for you, in exchange for the Spirit Orbs. Please, Hero, tell me what you desire."

Link knew in both aspects, of his endurance in battle and running, he was weak. So he told the Goddess he desired to be stronger in battle.

"I shall grant you the power you seek." Hylia stated, and from nowhere, a large heart encased in gold descended to him. When he touched it, the gold burst open, and the heart inside went into him. He immediately felt a wave of strength flow over him. He felt as if he could take more of a beating before he succumbed to his injuries. Which was just what he needed for the time being.

As he was about to leave, however, the old man called from above. "I see you have gotten the Goddess's blessing. Now meet me up here. There is much you need to know."

Link then noticed something. The old man was now surrounded by strange turquoise flames overnight around him, and the same color of aura surrounded him.

Before he could ask, the man left. Link hastily climbed the roof, and saw the man inside the lookout tower. He still had the same flames and aura around him.

"I'm impressed, Link. You have overcome every challenge that has come your way. Now is time I reveal the truth to you." The old man said with a more calm voice than ever before. "I am King Rhoam Hyrule Boreamus, the last king of Hyrule." He now looked at Link, dead in the eyes. "A kingdom which no longer exists." A blinding blue light then enveloped him, and when Link looked again, the old man by the name of King Rhoam now took a new form. He no longer wore the ragged clothes before, and now wore royal garments, along with a crown on his head.

"I apologize for keeping my true identity a secret from you. But understand it was necessary for me to assume a temporary form." King Rhoam then looked to the castle- his castle. "I think you are now ready to hear the truth, Link.

"Long ago, the kingdom of Hyrule thrived, joining with the races of the Zora, Rito, Gerudo, and Gorons. With their help, we expanded across the continent and prospered. But a fortune teller foretold of Ganon's inevitable reawakening."

"Heading the words of the fortune teller, we set out to excavate large areas of land. And in doing so, we uncovered the Divine Beasts, along with an army of autonomous weapons, known as the Guardians. The princess, along with her appointed knight, went out to find one of each of the four other races of Hyrule to control the Divine Beasts. They were dubbed the names of Champions, a name that would endure through Hyrule. We believed we were prepared for the worst."

King Rhoam paused, clenching his fist. "But nay, for Ganon responded with a cunning and dastardly plan beyond our comprehension. He seized control over the Guardians, as well as the Divine Beasts. Within a day, Hyrule fell. All those dwelling inside the castle, including myself, were slaughtered. The Champions, as well, lost their lives fighting back."

"But when all seemed lost, the Princess, the last of the Champions, stood alone against Ganon, and sealed him inside the castle to prevent his destruction from spreading."

Link then stepped closer, and asked what it had to do with him. "Allow me to finish. Every since then, Zelda has stayed within the castle, straining to keep Ganon locked away. And believe it or not, it was you that was her knight, who protected her until the end. You nearly gave up your life to keep her safe from the Guardians."

Link looked out to the ruins. That's why he felt so terrified of the Guardians. They had nearly killed him a hundred years ago. "The Champions are also still fighting to contain the Divine Beasts. I suggest heading to Kakariko Village first, and finding the elder, Impa. Consult the map on your Sheikah Slate for the exact location. Simply follow the road through the Dueling Peaks. From there, follow the road as it proceeds north."

Link nodded as King Rhoam pointed to the Dueling Peaks. The mountain looked as if it were split in two by some earthquake or something to that extreme. Link then looked back to the king.

"I suppose a promise is a promise. Take the paraglider." King Rhoam said, giving Link the paraglider. It was surprisingly sturdy for what it looked like. "And I believe that is all. I've told you everything I could."

The king then began to vanished, but left Link with one final statement. "You must protect Hyrule." Link bowed to where the king once stood in respect. Respect for the information he was provided.

Now, more than ever, he knew who he was. Link was a Champion, along five others, chosen to destroy Calamity Ganon.

He was the resurrected hero, who fell protecting the Princess of Hyrule, Princess Zelda.

He grabbed the bow lying next to him, and took off for Dueling Peaks, to seek out Impa.


	4. Chapter 4: Beginning of the End

Chapter 4

Beginning of the End

Link opened the paraglider and soared through the air, feeling as free as could be. The cool air pressing against him as the windy chill flowed through his clothes- it was a feeling that could never be explained in mere words, to stay airborne without the need for wings or other such natural devices.

In a word, he would describe it as divine.

But the feeling was lost when his feet made contact with the ground once again, and now he stood within the greatest power in the world- Hyrule Kingdom. He stood within the flattest of all areas within the kingdom, Hyrule Field, which was overlooked by the castle imprisoning the great Calamity. And he merely stood on the edge of the great plane, which spread for miles from his view.

But he pushed this view aside for a while as he evaluated his surroundings. He was no longer limited to the Great Plateau. He could travel to every corner of Hyrule if he so desired. But a difficulty he quickly discovered was that Hyrule was very big. And simply walking from place to place would take undoubtedly hours. And with monsters being almost everywhere, it made traveling exceedingly dangerous.

But then Link found a group of horses just next to the Plateau. He then realized how efficient travel would be with a horse companion. Especially across Hyrule Field. So it was decided: he would take a horse with him on his travels.

But after trying to approach the horses, he realized a small flaw in his plan. The horses did not much approve of his company, and scattered when he came close. So Link hid in the grass, and approached slowly to the horse he liked the most. It was a very fast horse, with a full brown coat along with a darker shade of brown for its mane. It was a very casual and ordinary horse, but it was far faster than the other horses.

As Link approached carefully, it noticed his presence, and tried to run, but Link quickly took hold of the horse, as the horse bucked to get Link off. He did his best to soothe the horse, but his fatigue got the best of him as he flew off the horse's back.

By the time he recovered, the horse was long gone. He sighed in frustration as he got up, dusting himself off as he took a bite from an apple. The sweet juices eased some of his pain, though he was still upset at how he still couldn't tame a horse.

But he didn't give up. He kept trying to at least get a horse to the point where he could ride it, but it was dangerous work, as their will often bested his endurance. Link was near ready to give up trying when he spotted a light blue horse with a spotted rear and a white mane. He sighed to himself.

One more shot, he told himself. But to his surprise, when he mounted the horse, it took little time to calm it. At long last, he found himself a steed. Though, a quick problem he encountered was that the horse had not grown used to him just yet. It fought against Link as he went down the road, causing Link to have to soothe the blue horse.

Another thing Link realized, was that the horse was not very fast, nor was it high on stamina. It took a while for Link to get used to, but that turned out to be a quick adjustment, as the roads were rather linear. They soon passed under Dueling Peaks and came to a large field, scattered with withered Guardians. Once again, Link felt the sudden urge to run. But he knew why, and resisted the urge. He then saw a stable.

'Perfect', he told himself. 'I can get a saddle and bridle for my horse.'

He slowed his horse down and came to the front counter. There, he met a man.

"Hello! Welcome to The Dueling Peaks Stable. Here, you can give both yourself and your horse a rest! There's a cooking pot just over yonder if you need to cook anything up, and there's some supplies and weapons near it if you need them. We're on no shortage of food, I assure you." The man said. Link nodded, then patted his horse. "Ah, of course. We can register your horse here, Yes. As well, we can outfit it with a quality saddle and bridle. Not top of the line, I'll admit, but it'll serve you better than nothing. However, there is a fee for registration- for a good cause, I assure you. A simple 20 rupees."

Link nodded and reached into his pockets… only to find he had not a single rupee on him.

"No money, eh? Well you can return once you get enough. There's a merchant just nearby who'd be happy to take anything you don't need off your hands for a reasonable price." The stable manager said. Link looked around and saw a man with a rather large backpack that, upon closer inspection, was in the shape of a beatle. They talked, and the man, whose name coincidentally was Beatle, was willing to take some amber Link had for 30 rupees. He returned to the stable manager and handed the money.

"Alright then. We'll get your horse outfitted. And would you like to give her a name?" The stable manager asked.

Link had thought of what name he should give his horse, but never thought of a perfect one. So he began brainstorming. It was a blue white spotted horse, with a rather neutral balance of speed and stamina and strength. Then a name hit him.

"Indigo, is that Right?" The stable manager asked. Link nodded. "Alright then, Indigo is now registered. We'll outfit her with the necessary equipment. In the meantime, feel free to relax. The stress of adventuring can be exhausting at times, so it's good to take a load off once in a while."

Link nodded, realizing he had a lot to take in today. At that moment, a rest seemed like a good pastime. So he sat under a tree and ate an apple, looking out to the field. 'This field… it looks familiar. Did I… accompany the Princess here at some point?' Link wondered. He then recognized a good number of Guardians scattered across the field, withered and decayed over a century. To see this large of a number of Guardians, he felt his hand twitch as if reaching for his sword. His other hand grabbed it as he breathed slowly, but it also caused him to drop his Apple.

'Get it together, Link. If you freeze up against a fully functioning Guardian, it'll be the end.' Link sighed as his body relaxed. He folded his hands behind his head as he closed his eyes under the tree, rays of sunlight passing through the leaves to meet his face and warm him up.

Then suddenly, his eyes snapped open again as he quickly rolled away from his spot. As he did so, a sickle slammed into the tree where he was. He drew his bow and readied the shot, but there was no target anywhere in sight. As he stood, a red card landed next to his foot as he slowly released the tension on his bow. He picked up the card, where there was a symbol like the Sheikah Slate's. Except it seemed as if it were meant to be upside down.

He looked at the sickle, and it shared the same symbol.

'What… who just tried to kill me?' Link wondered as he stared at the weapon.

He shoved the thought out for now as his horse was now ready. Now he could travel to Kakariko village faster than ever. And somehow, he managed to gain the horse's full trust, and it no longer struggled against him.

Once he made it to the peaceful village, he continued down the main road until a sign caught his eye. A clothing shop.

He looked at his tattered shirt. 'Perhaps a nicer shirt would be appropriate for this meeting with the village elder.' Link thought. Immediately, it was settled. He left Indigo just next to a hollowed tree stump and went inside the shop. His eyes immediately darted to a sturdy looking turtleneck wrapped under a tunic with leather bracing on the breast and shoulder, along with leather gloves. After a trade for a few gemstones, he got the tunic. It fit him perfectly, as if it were meant to be worn by him. As well, it proved to be much warmer than the ragged shirt. Which he threw out, along with the old pants and shoes.

Not exactly useful to him now that he had a better change of clothes. He went up to a house on a hill, but was stopped by two guards.

"Halt! This is Lady Impa's abode! Outsiders are forbidden!" The first guard exclaimed. Then the second one put his hand on the other's shoulder.

"But wait! Look at his hip. Look at the device he has." The second guard said. The first guard's eyes widened.

"A Sheikah Slate. Well I'll be." The first guard gasped. They then stood upright. "Very well then, you may enter."

Link nodded as he walked up the stairs and entered the house. And there, before him, sat the small elder named Impa.

"So, you finally woke up." Impa said as she looked up. "It has been quite some time, hasn't it Link?"

Link was somewhat shook by this. How did she know he had been sleeping? How did she know his name? Was she a spy, or an ally from his previous life? Either way, Link approached slowly.

"Link, do you not remember me? Though I have changed throughout the hundred years, surely you at least remember my name?" Impa asked. Link's face didn't change, but his suspicions were confirmed. This woman was an old ally. "I see. The Shrine of Resurrection must have taken your memories as a price for new life. Or, perhaps we were not fast enough to save your memories."

Impa mulled over this for a bit. "Hmm… perhaps for now, it is a blessing in disguise." Impa looked back up to Link. "How much do you remember?" Link went on to explain what the king had told him, and what he was instructed to do. "I see, so you know you were Zelda's appointed knight. So then it is appropriate for me to relay this message she told me to pass to you. But first, I must be sure you are ready to risk your life for this cause. If I were to ask this of one without conviction, it may put more than yourself at risk. So tell me: are you willing?"

Link, without hesitation, nodded. And at this, Impa let out a small laugh. "With no memory of your name, and yet you're as willing to charge into battle as ever. As they say, once a hero, always a hero." After that remark, Impa sighed. "I assume the king has already told you of the story of the Calamity, so I'll save my breath. The message Zelda wishes to relay, it is this: 'free the four Divine Beasts!'"

'Divine Beasts? Didn't the king mention something like that?' Link thought as he asked what they were.

"Giant mechanical marvels, made to weaken the Calamity for the hero chosen by the sword that seals the darkness. However, since the Calamity returned, the Divine Beasts have terrorized the four kingdoms of Hyrule. You must free them. There are four Divine Beasts in total: Divine Beast Vah Medoh of the Rito, Divine Beast Vah Ruto of the Zora, Divine Beast Vah Rudania of the Gorons, and Divine Beast Vah Naboris of the Gerudo. You must travel to their domains and find their leaders." Impa explained. Link looked to his Sheikah Slate, and there, on four corners of the map, was marked four points.

'Oh boy. This is gonna be a lot of walking.' Link sighed as he put away his Slate.

"As well, it has been a hundred years since it's been in use. You should have your Sheikah Slate examined by Purah in Hateno Village." Impa said. She put another mark on Link's map, which seemed to be a ways east of Kakariko Village. "As well, there are many other useful resources there that might aid you on your quest. Now go Link, for much awaits you on this journey."

Link nodded as he went back outside, got back on Indigo, and rode off to his next objective.

A/N

So hey, it's been a hot minute. It took a bit of time to get this chapter up, but I think now I know where I want to take this story. However: I still need some time to figure out a few things, so there'll be a bit of a gap between updates. But enough about me, I hope you guys liked the new chapter! If you have any complaints, leave a review about it. Don't worry, I take my time to read each review equally. And if you have any suggestions on which domains I should go over first, please do tell me in the reviews as well.


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